Tales of Vesperia kind of sucks...

[Inzane2050]

Tales of Vesperia has been talked up by some as a great game. Thus I bought it to give it a try as I liked what I got put of the demo, but now I'm finding it very hard to enjoy this game for a large number of reasons.

The graphics are extremely bland 95% of the time as was Blue Dragon. The textures are extremely flat and undetailed. The City of Blossoms was the only acceptable place I have visited thus far. Any kind of shading is practically nonexistent in this game. I understand they are trying to create a cartoon-like look to it, but it is practically a coloring book. And the colors used aren't all that impressive or captivating. No nice special effects either are here.

The combat is coming off very shallow with a lack of control over your characters and a lack of genuine strategic elements. All of these strike arts are just different fancy ways of dealing some extra damage. The Wolf Strike is the one exception as it knocks your enemy down. The Strategies you can set for your AI is nice, but you cannot actually control your other characters. You can't use an item on your party unless it is a Phoenix Down, and you cannot command your AI to use item on someone beside themselves explicitly; yet the very thing I was denied to order my AI to do, they, the AI party members, can do just that on their own accord. I have yet to see any form of elemental weaknesses/attacks even tho elementals are listed in the handbook. It tells me I can control my other characters with "Personal Call" even tho it does not work when I follow the instructions by the letter; all that happens is my party member back off for a few seconds for "things to be left to me."

The towns are very restrictive, linear, and with a large number of nonsense invisible barriers that are leaving me baffled as to where I can go and not go. I got stuck at the very beginning of the game as I did not know that I could go down one flight of stairs and not the other adjacent to it even tho both should lead back to the exact same place.

I'm really having trouble enjoying this game. If there is something regarding the combat that I am misunderstanding, please let me know what it is. This is my first Tales game. I'm 10 hours in and I just left Heliord. Does the game get better beyond this?

[Fon]

Tales of Vesperia has been talked up by some as a great game. Thus I bought it to give it a try as I liked what I got put of the demo, but now I'm finding it very hard to enjoy this game for a large number of reasons.

The graphics are extremely bland 95% of the time as was Blue Dragon. The textures are extremely flat and undetailed. The City of Blossoms was the only acceptable place I have visited thus far. Any kind of shading is practically nonexistent in this game. I understand they are trying to create a cartoon-like look to it, but it is practically a coloring book. And the colors used aren't all that impressive or captivating.

It's their own art style. The game looks fine the way it is.

The combat is coming off very shallow with a lack of control over your characters and a lack of genuine strategic elements. All of these strike arts are just different fancy ways of dealing some extra damage. The Wolf Strike is the one exception as it knocks your enemy down. The Strategies you can set for your AI is nice, but you cannot actually control your other characters. You can't use an item on your party unless it is a Phoenix Down, and you cannot command your AI to use item on someone beside themselves explicitly; yet the very thing I was denied to order my AI to do, they, the AI party members, can do just that on their own accord. I have yet to see any form of elemental weaknesses/attacks even tho elementals are listed in the handbook. It tells me I can control my other characters with "Personal Call" even tho it does not work when I follow the instructions by the letter; all that happens is my party member back off for a few seconds for "things to be left to me."

You need to synthesize key items for you to control any character on the battlefield(I don't remember what it is, but go to synthesize and check the key items you can synthesize and check their description. One of them is the item you're looking for). As for being able to make any of your character throw items at anyone in battle, you have to learn the ability "Item Thrower". The game wasn't mean to be easy.

The towns are very restrictive, linear, and with a large number of nonsense invisible barriers that are leaving me baffled as to where I can go and not go. I got stuck at the very beginning of the game as I did not know that I could go down one flight of stairs and not the other adjacent to it even tho both should lead back to the exact same place.

A lot of JRPG's are like that. I do agree on the very linear part since I wish they were a big bigger.

I'm really having trouble enjoying this game. If there is something regarding the combat that I am misunderstanding, please let me know what it is. This is my first Tales game. I'm 10 hours in and I just left Heliord. Does the game get better beyond this?

I don't see why you wouldn't be enjoying it just based on the combat system and graphics which the latter is just a petty reason. Some minor parts I do agree but that shouldn't deny you enjoyment of this game. As for the battle, I get the feeling that it's too difficult for you?. You can change it's difficulty in the Conf. menu of the game and turn it to "Easy". The battles will be a lot easier but you won't earn "GRADES" which are points that you can use to buy perks for new game+.

Another thing I want to point out is that this game felt a bit too short compared to other Tales games I've played and that's mostly due to the fact that the Tales Studio held back most of the game's content for the Playstation 3 version as it's said to be like a complete remake with all the extra content it has.

[Yuuichi]

Are you playing PS3 or Xbox version? I know you posted under PS3 but because it is a JRPG I can fig either one.

If Ps3: Yep it is harder than Xbox version. Tales have always been a bit linear in start but by now you should be free to explore a lot. There are some closed off spots because it is heavy story areas, but you can go back once unlocked.

If Xbox: You can buy a ton of items from the store and be set forever in the game and that should make life easier for you.

[Inzane2050]

I haven't had any difficulty with the game on normal, and it's been pretty easy. My only challenge was beating two bosses, one of which was the Boss from the demo, and I still won on my second try at lvl 14 just as I was able to in the demo. The issue is that I have little say in what my AI does and all I do is smash the X button combined with an arte, change strategy when needed, rinse and repeat. And there isn't any element damage or anything else of the sort to be seen in sight. But I guess it will be nice to control my other party members, etc, but I'm still not a fan of the handholding I've had thus far.

Yuuichi~

It's the PS3 version. It's nice to know the game will open up better later. I keep passing thru smaller towns like Heliord are having me feel a little let down.

[Tibiquera]

Ps3 version? Is that Japanese then? Because I thought only the 360 version was localized.

[itachi73378]

Ps3 version? Is that Japanese then? Because I thought only the 360 version was localized.

Only 360 version is localized so if he says its ps3 than it has to be japanese.

[AaronSOLDIER]

The game is pretty old though, just keep playing its a decent game. Then get Tales of Graces f when it releases or if you're importing.

[Azu]

Uhh.. Just one question: have you played Tales games before? Because Vesperia is up there as one of the best Tales games. The combat is really fun and as far as the storyline goes, that's better than most Tales games. It's still not any kind of high literature, but still mostly entertaining rather than annoying.

[itachi73378]

I've only played Abyss, and EVERYTHING about the game was awesome. I've heard nothing but good things about Vesparia aswell.

[Inzane2050]

Uhh.. Just one question: have you played Tales games before? Because Vesperia is up there as one of the best Tales games. The combat is really fun and as far as the storyline goes, that's better than most Tales games. It's still not any kind of high literature, but still mostly entertaining rather than annoying.

Yeah, this is my first Tales games. The combat just seems little shallow as I find I can just spam attack and the only other thing I control are the strategy paradigms. I don't know if it's on me, but I'm having trouble figuring out why I am so limited with control and I do not understand the element damage as I can't deal any. The overworld and characters are the one thing I have been really liking tho. They are a very enjoyable cast and look great visually to add. I especially enjoy Mori.

[Azu]

It's all but shallow. Maybe try reading about some advanced techniques. They make stuff like this 106-hit combo possible:



It pretty much has depth like action games like Bayonetta & Devil May Cry, so if you know what you're doing you can do all kinds of crazy shit.

[Inzane2050]

Damn, that's pretty sick combo!

[Fon]

I've only played Abyss, and EVERYTHING about the game was awesome. I've heard nothing but good things about Vesparia aswell.

I personally think that Abyss is the better Tales game in terms of story and characters.

[Inzane2050]

It's still pretty annoying that you need special items for unlocking item throwing and character swapping. Pretty unneeded drawbacks.

[Crateria]

Gotta agree with the OP. I played ToS and loved it, played through it 3 times.

Now trying ToV and.. this sucks in comparison. Maybe it's just been awhile but I don't remember the character control being so sluggish. Jumping sucks, character control is slow and sluggish, the artes don't seem to be that great for combo's... overall the combat doesn't seem that great.

And I see you guys trying to use the argument "maybe this combat is too difficult for you" with the OP. Please give me a break, this combat is far from difficult. It's just lacking cause it's so slow and sluggish.

And titles don't have any effects? Wtf..

[Fon]

And I see you guys trying to use the argument "maybe this combat is too difficult for you" with the OP. Please give me a break, this combat is far from difficult. It's just lacking cause it's so slow and sluggish.

And titles don't have any effects? Wtf..

Technically this one is more difficult then the last two that I've played(Abyss and Symphonia). It is somewhat slower then the two but in no way "Sluggish".

[TDbank24]

I loved Tales of Vesperia. Never met an RPG i didn't enjoy.

[Crateria]

slower sluggish, take your pick

Definitely slower, and the combat just isn't as good as I remember ToS being.

[Inzane2050]

The combat is actually getting pretty deep once I've started going thru a bit better and managing more of what my AI can and can't do. I used Estelle's Angel Ring followed by Mori's Tractor Beam to get rid of large groups, etc. But another complaint I'm having is that the game does not let you use Burst Artes even tho you have supposedly learned it. I don't know if the game is just broken or what, but combined with the inability to switch characters and inability to command AI to throw me an item (even tho they do just that on their own will), this game is coming off a bit frustrating. I never had these kinds of bugs in Star Ocean.

[NuSoardGraphite]

Recent Tales of games just take forever to unlock the full combat system. Abyss was really bad about this.

[Inzane2050]

Recent Tales of games just take forever to unlock the full combat system. Abyss was really bad about this.

Yeah, that's the big problem I'm having with the battle system. I'm 40 hours and I'm still not allowed to perform burst aetes even tho I received a Burst Artes tutorial 30 hours back for which I performed my first and only Burst Arte. And the fact that it gives the AI more freedom in what they can do versus what I am able to command them to. Star Ocean has been much more enjoyable for this fact.